Throughout scripture from the Old Testament to the New Testament, verses are awash that refers to either the Jews or Gentiles as sheep. We are described as sheep in the eyes of the Good Shepherd. Few months ago, my local pastor said something that struck me. To paraphrase what he said, “When the Bible calls us sheep it is not a commendation.” I had never realized that before. I used to think it was a commendation when the Bible continually told me I was a sheep.
During school vacations when I was in elementary and later middle school, I used to visit my uncles who owned farms. One of my uncles owned a farm that specialized in rearing livestock among other things. His elder kids used to tend the cattle and us the little chaps looked after the sheep. No one looked after the goats; it seemed they could hold their own with zero supervision.
Tending sheep was the worst of all jobs. We never liked it because sheep were a problem. When it rained, which was quite often since we always visited my uncle during the rainy season, the sheep would just stand dumbstruck. We had to protect them from the weather and took pains of driving them to the pen. It was a hectic endeavor. One other problem we had with sheep was they are just clueless of what is dangerous to them. When they saw anything suspicious instead of running for their life, they would just stand and watch. Every time we saw a sheep that seems to be gazing at something, we had to be extra careful and try to get it away from any possible danger.
In his book, A Friend you can Trust, Greg Laurie sums it up well,
“That Jesus compares us to sheep is not a compliment, by the way. Sheep are among the dumbest of all creatures. Most animals, in many cases, will survive if released into the wild. They will learn to fend for themselves and make it. But a sheep released into the wild cannot survive. Sheep have no survival skills whatsoever. They are totally dependent upon the shepherd - just like we are. The sheep come to know that when the shepherd speaks they should follow because his plan for them is better than their plan for themselves.”.
When we look at sheep, they are a symbol of weakness and not virtue even though many times we have used it as a sign of meekness or humility. Throughout scripture, a sheep is an imagery of a people who cannot protect, fight, tend or even guide themselves. Without a shepherd, sheep are destined for destruction.
Jesus has become our Shepherd, He watches over us. When we go astray, He guides us back to His flock through His amazing love. The Bible testifies that He is the Good shepherd. One of the most popular Psalm is chapter 23, which speaks of Jesus as the Good Shepherd. A shepherd provides, protects, guides and leads His sheep. However, this Psalms precedes a psalm that speaks of Jesus as the Great Shepherd. Psalm 22 introduces us to a Shepherd who lays down His life for His sheep. It speaks of how majestic the love of our Shepherd when He chose to take up our sins and pay the prize on our behalf. The greatness of our Shepherd does not end there. In Psalm 24, we see Jesus as the Chief Shepherd, the All in All, the Great I Am, to whom belongs all that is. These Psalms gives us a picture of who our Shepherd is. .
He sent his word
God has given us His word to help us deal with the setbacks that we often meet. The Bible says, “He sent His word and healed them from their destruction.” I believe God has given us His word and the Comforter for us to show and exhibit His glory. God wants to get the glory out of every situation in our lives.
Edmond Sanganyado
Blogger & Author
You and i are
God's sheep
Except: Chapter Three
His Grace / March, 2014 11